NSF FY 2001 Request: Engineering

The following information and excerpts are from the National Science Foundation’s FY 2001 budget submission to Congress for the Engineering Activity:

The FY 2001 Engineering budget would increase $74.66 million, or 19.6%, from $381.84 million to $456.50 million. The Engineering Activity budget has six components:

The Bioengineering and Environmental Systems budget would increase $7.78 million, or 22.7%, from $34.27 million to $42.05 million. Additional support would be given to nanotechnology, “with particular emphasis on biological systems at the nanoscale,” and for functional genomics. Also receiving emphasis would be: “accelerating the use of new biotechnology and other engineering technologies in environmental applications,” and “research on the expanded use of light energy for medical, biochemical, and environmental applications and to develop noninvasive, molecularly-specific sensing, imaging, and monitoring systems with high optical sensitivity and resolution.”

The Chemical and Transport Systems budget would increase $10.07 million, or 22.7%, from $44.32 million to $54.39 million. Support would increase for basic research in information technology research, nanoscale engineering (involving “both modeling/simulation and experiments”) and environmental technologies.

The Civil and Mechanical Systems budget would increase $7.95 million, or 16.5%, from $48.24 million to $56.19 million. Support would increase for fundamental research in information technology research and nanoscale science and engineering, which would include “development of computational capabilities and nanoscale material characterization to extend molecular-scale models up through nano- to macro-scale, in representations of larger-scale ‘real’ materials.” Support would also increase for ongoing disciplinary research.”

The Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation budget would increase $24.25 million, or 22.2%, from $109.11 million to $133.36 million. There are two programs within this budget. The budget for research in Design, Manufacture, and Industrial Innovation programs would increase $11.38 million, or 24.1%, from $47.28 million to $58.66 million. Enhanced support would be provided for information technology research, nanoscale engineering, manufacturing research activities, and for design and manufacturing. The budget for Small Business Innovation Research would increase $12.87 million, or 20.8%, from $61.83 million to $74.70 million.

The Electrical and Communications Systems budget would increase $13.51 million, or 29.8%, from $45.36 million to $58.87 million. Support would be enhanced for information technology research, nanoscale engineering, functional genomics, and for ongoing research programs.

The Engineering Education and Centers budget would increase $11.10 million, or 11.0%, from $100.54 million to $111.64 million. The budget document states “all current commitments to EECs will be met,” with increased support for “up to two virtual ERCs focused on nanoscale engineering,” “nanotechnology-related activities in the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Training program,” for Research Experiences for Undergraduate sites, and for the Combined Research and Curriculum Development program.